Business school leaves pump service business to Grundfos with Service Contract

Overview

In case of cloudbursts or other extreme weather conditions, all pumping systems must be in perfect working order. For large installations such as the Copenhagen Business School (CBS) in Copenhagen, Denmark, getting an overview of the installed base and keeping it working can be a challenge, especially if you also have other important assignments to carry out. A Grundfos Service Contract leaves you free to concentrate on other tasks while dedicated specialists take care of your pump service needs.

The situation

Established in 1917, the CBS is one of the largest business schools in Europe with 120,000 square metres of facilities in Copenhagen. The Campus Services department at the CBS, responsible for all power, water, ventilation and pump installations, experienced issues keeping all the school's technical installations in working order. When a major cloudburst hit Copenhagen in July 2011 causing extensive and costly damage, the CBS was affected because several drainage pump pits were not working properly. Campus Services realised that external assistance regarding pump maintenance was needed and contacted Grundfos to discuss service options. Chief engineer John Møller Christensen at Campus Services commented: "There's no way we can manage everything ourselves!"

The Grundfos solution

Following careful onsite inspection at the CBS, Grundfos replaced all pumps and pits, and the school signed two Service Contracts with Grundfos: one contract for the heating pumps and another one covering the wastewater and drainage pumping stations. Once a year, Grundfos carries out an inspection of the entire installed pump base and compiles a written report.

"We check if the pumps work as they should, and whether anything in the pits is corroded," explains Service Section Manager Ole Schmeltzer of Grundfos. "One of our most important tasks is to tell the customer when a pump should be replaced so the pumps don't just run until they break down. That way, the customer can count on the pumps working when they're really needed". Several systems such as level control sensors were also improved, providing the CBS with an installation where everything is in top condition – and stays that way.

The outcome

The CBS has achieved control of its large installed base, and life has become a lot easier for John Møller Christensen; he knows that specialist personnel is now keeping an eye on both clean water and wastewater pumps. "Everything just runs like it's supposed to, and we rarely have to call the service engineer," he says. "When everything was to be commissioned, Grundfos sent a service engineer who made sure it was done right. We haven't had any problems since 2011". John Møller Christensen appreciates the personal relationship and cooperation from dealing with the same engineer every time: "If there are any urgent issues, it always seems like the service guy gets here in half an hour, even if he's halfway across Zealand. That's really impressive!"

With its Service Contracts with Grundfos, the CBS has taken a major step towards safeguarding school facilities against further damage from extreme weather or other causes.